Laparoscopic esophagogastric circular stapled anastomosis: a modified technique to protect the esophagus

Laparoscopic surgery is increasingly being applied to gastric cancer surgery, including proximal gastrectomy for the resection of cancer located in the upper gastric body. Despite the ease of use of stapling devices for end-to-end anastomosis, esophagogastric anastomosis is complicated by the narrow laparoscopic space, making the placement of an esophageal purse-string suture and anvil insertion into the fragile and contracted esophagus difficult. The aim of this study was to employ a novel esophagogastric anastomosis technique for laparoscopic surgery which may avoid esophageal breakdown. Eleven patients with early gastric cancer within the upper gastric body underwent laparoscopic proximal gastrectomy. The anvil of the stapler was introduced into the esophagus through a small gastrostomy, before transection of the esophagus. The esophageal-to-anterior gastric wall anastomosis was performed using a double-stapling technique, without the need to apply a purse-string suture. The mean operation time was 237 ± 15 min and estimated blood loss was 39 ± 21 ml. The postoperative course was uneventful in all 11 patients, with no anastomotic leakage observed. Two patients needed endoscopic balloon dilation of an anastomotic stricture 24 to 28 days postoperatively. This modified procedure of laparoscopic esophagogastric anastomosis after proximal gastrectomy for the resection of cancer is a simple, rapid, and atraumatic technique which reduces the risk of anastomotic insufficiency.     

Laparoscopic gastrectomy with regional lymph node dissection for upper gastric cancer

Recently, a minimally invasive operation for gastric malignancies has been developed, and this laparoscopic operation is seen as a technique that will raise quality of life for patients. Previously, we reported this technique, as well as the results of a distal gastrectomy with regional lymph node dissection using hand-assisted laparoscopic surgery (HALS) for gastric cancer located in the middle or lower third of the stomach. This paper describes total or proximal gastrectomy with regional lymph node dissection by HALS on 28 cases of gastric cancer located in the upper portion of the stomach. After the mobilization of stomach and lymph node dissection via HALS, an anastomosis of the esophagus was performed intracorporeally with a conventional circular stapling device (PCEEA), whereas jejunojejunostomy and jejunogastrostomy were carried out extracorporeally with a conventional hand-sewn procedure through a HALS wound. The operation time and the amount of blood loss in all the patients were considered to be satisfactory, and the average number of dissected lymph nodes per patient was similar to that in open surgery. The patients had minimal morbidity and quick recovery after their operation. This technique was thought to be not only less invasive, but also similarly curative compared with open gastrectomy. Received: May 2, 2002 / Accepted: September 12, 2002 Offprint requests to: S. Tanimura     

早期胃癌腹腔镜功能保留手术应用探讨

早期胃癌（EGC）的治疗近年来已从之前单纯追求肿瘤学的疗效向“提高生活质量与肿瘤学预后并重” 的观念转变。腹腔镜保留功能的胃切除术（FPG）兼具“微创化”和“保功能”的优点，在日本和韩国受到广泛的关注并有大量相关研究。总体结果显示，腹腔镜FPG对EGC患者的肿瘤学疗效与腹腔镜下标准手术相当，而在手术的安全性、术后的营养状态及生活质量等方面均有积极作用。然而，腹腔镜下FPG也存在不足之处。例如，作为其代表术式之一，腹腔镜近端胃切除（LPG）术后胃食管反流等问题依然是限制其进一步应用的原因。随着适用于腹腔镜手术的新型抗反流重建方式的应用，患者LPG术后胃食管反流及反流性食管炎的发生率明显降低，生活质量明显改善。随着EGC患者比例的不断增加，腹腔镜FPG将进一步被广泛应用，对其适应证和不足的改进也是今后研究的重要方向。     

Current status of robot-assisted gastric surgery

In an effort to minimize the limitations of laparoscopy,a robotic surgery system was introduced,but its role for gastric cancer is still unclear.The objective of this article is to assess the current status of robotic surgery for gastric cancer and to predict future prospects.Although the current study was limited by its small number of patients and retrospective nature,robot-assisted gastrectomy with lymphadenectomy for the treatment of gastric cancer is a feasible and safe procedure for experienced laparoscopic surgeons.Most studies have reported satisfactory results for postoperative short-term coutcomes,such as:postoperative oral feeding,gas out,hospital stay and complications,compared with laparoscopic surgery;the difference is a longer operation time.However,robotic surgery showed a shallow learning curve compared with the familarity of conventional open surgery;after the accumulation of several cases,robotic surgery could be expected to result in a similar operation time.Robotic-assisted gastrectomy can expand the indications of minimally invasive surgery to include advanced gastric cancer by improving the ability to perform lymphadenectomy.Moreover," total" robotic gastrectomy can be facilitated using a robotsewing technique and gastric submucosal tumors near the gastroesophageal junction or pylorus can be resected safely by this novel technique.In conclusion,robotassisted gastrectomy may offer a good alternative to conventional open or laparoscopic surgery for gastric cancer,provided that long-term oncologic outcomes can be confirmed.     

Short-term outcomes and nutritional status after laparoscopic subtotal gastrectomy with a very small remnant stomach for cStage I proximal gastric carcinoma

Background

Total or proximal gastrectomy is usually performed for early proximal gastric carcinoma, but the optimal type of gastrectomy is still unknown. We evaluated short-term outcomes and nutritional status after laparoscopic subtotal gastrectomy (LsTG) in comparison with laparoscopic total gastrectomy (LTG) and laparoscopic proximal gastrectomy (LPG).

Methods

We analyzed 113 patients who underwent LsTG (n = 38), LTG (n = 48), or LPG (n = 27) for cStage I gastric cancer located in the upper third of the stomach. Postoperative morbidities, nutritional status including body weight, serum albumin, hemoglobin, the prognostic nutritional index (PNI), and endoscopic findings at 1 year after surgery were compared between LsTG and both LTG and LPG.

Results

Operation time and intraoperative blood loss were similar among the three groups. The incidence of postoperative morbidities was lower in LsTG than in LTG. The degree of body weight loss was significantly smaller in LsTG than in LTG at 6 and 12 months. At 12 months, LsTG resulted in better serum albumin and PNI than LPG, and better hemoglobin than LTG. Endoscopic examination demonstrated that one LsTG patient and two LPG patients had reflux esophagitis. Remnant gastritis was observed more frequently in LPG than in LsTG. No LsTG patient had bile reflux, although it was observed in four LPG patients.

Conclusions

LsTG with a very small remnant stomach had favorable short-term outcomes and nutritional status compared with LTG and LPG, so it may be a better treatment option for cStage I proximal gastric carcinoma.

     

管状胃代食管术在食管癌根治术后的疗效观察

目的 探讨管状胃代食管术在食管癌根治术后的治疗效果.方法 回顾性分析2013年6月至2015年6月在苏州大学附属第一医院确诊为食管癌的患者97例,其中51例采用管状胃代食管吻合术,作为管胃组;46例采用传统全胃代食管吻合术,作为全胃组.比较两组患者的手术时间、术中出血量、术后胃肠减压量、住院时间、病理分期及术后并发症发生情况等指标的差异.结果 两组患者均无围手术期死亡.管胃组手术时间长于全胃组[(287.43±23.64) min:(266.13 ±26.47)min],差异具有统计学意义(t=2.279,P=0.031).管胃组胃肠减压量小于全胃组[(1 908.14±327.97)ml:(2 221.93 ±323.87) ml],差异具有统计学意义(t=-2.591,P=0.015).管胃组和全胃组患者术中出血量[(325.00 ±64.30) ml:(356.67±49.52)ml;t=-1.490,P=0.147]、淋巴结清扫数[(10.73±4.83)枚:(10.36±5.31)枚;t=0.238,P=0.813]、术后住院时间[(15.32±3.69)d:(16.45±3.80)d;t=-1.005,P=0.320]及术后病理分期(P=0.713)的差异均无统计学意义.管胃组胃食管反流的发生率低于全胃组,差异有统计学意义(1.96％:15.22％;x2=5.617,P=0.025).管胃组和全胃组患者吻合口瘘(5.88％:10.87％;x2 =0.795,P=0.471)、术后肺部并发症(13.73％:23.91％;x2=1.661,P=0.296)、吻合口狭窄(7.84％:13.04％;x2 =0.707,P=0.510)等的发生率差异无统计学意义.结论在食管癌的手术治疗中,管状胃代食管术优于全胃代食管术,有利于提高患者术后生命质量,值得临床推广.     

Side overlap esophagogastrostomy to prevent reflux after proximal gastrectomy

Background

No optimal method of reconstruction for proximal gastrectomy has been established because of problems associated with postoperative reflux and anastomotic stenosis. It is also important that the reconstruction is easily performed laparoscopically because laparoscopic gastrectomy has become widely accepted in recent years.

Methods

We have developed a new method of esophagogastrostomy, side overlap with fundoplication by Yamashita (SOFY). The remnant stomach is fixated to the diaphragmatic crus on the dorsal side of the esophagus. The esophagus and the remnant stomach are overlapped by a length of 5 cm. A linear stapler is inserted in two holes on the left side of the esophageal stump and the anterior gastric wall. The stapler is rotated counterclockwise on its axis and fired. The entry hole is closed, and the right side of the esophagus is fixated to the stomach so that the esophagus sticks flat to the gastric wall. The surgical outcomes of the SOFY method were compared with those of esophagogastrectomy different from SOFY.

Results

Thirteen of the 14 patients in the SOFY group were asymptomatic without a proton pump inhibitor, but reflux esophagitis was observed in 5 of the 16 patients in the non-SOFY group and anastomotic stenosis was observed in 3 patients. Contrast enhancement findings in the SOFY group showed inflow of Gastrografin to the remnant stomach was extremely good, and no reflux into the esophagus was observed even with patients in the head-down tilt position.

Conclusions

SOFY can be easily performed laparoscopically and may overcome the problems of postoperative reflux and stenosis.

     

完全腹腔镜胃癌根治术消化道重建的现状及探索

消化道重建是胃癌手术的关键操作之一,其质量直接影响术后相关并发症的发生及远期的营养状况及生活质量,合理选择完全腹腔镜下胃癌根治术后消化道重建的方式对降低术后并发症及改善术后营养状况及生活质量具有积极意义。本文通过对完全腹腔镜下远端胃切除术、全胃切除术常用的消化道吻合方式的优势及不足进行论述,探索目前可能的最优吻合方式,阐述完全腹腔镜近端胃切除术吻合方式的进展,并对生理学、生物力学重建理论的进展进行介绍。     

Possible association between gastrectomy and subsequent development of esophageal cancer

To clarify the possible association between gastrectomy and the subsequent development of esophageal cancer, we studied the incidence of subjective gastroesophageal reflux in 287 patients and analyzed the nutritional status and results of endoscopic examination of the esophagus in 62 patients who had survived for a long period after gastrectomy for nonmalignant diseases. The incidence of postoperative reflux was 22.6%. None of the patients had severe deterioration of blood parameters or nutritional status. Endoscopic observation revealed esophagitis in 24.2% of patients, mainly in the lower esophagus. Histologically, there was a high incidence of infiltration of neutrophils and lymphocytes, enlarged papillae, and basal cell hyperplasia. Epithelial dysplasia was detected in 41.9% of patients, and of these there were more patients in whom the degree of dysplasia was more severe in the lower esophagus than in other areas. These data suggest that postgastrectomy gastroesophageal reflux is more likely than postgastrectomy changes in nutritional status to be a possible contributory factor to the development of subsequent esophageal cancer.     

Laparoscopic side-to-side esophagogastrostomy using a linear stapler after proximal gastrectomy

In order to improve anastomotic procedures, we performed laparoscopic side-to-side esophagogastrostomy, using a linear stapler, after proximal gastrectomy in two patients with gastric cancer located in the upper third of the stomach. The patients' postoperative courses were excellent. During postoperative recovery, the patients experienced very little pain, used no analgesic medications, and never experienced reflux esophagitis. This procedure is technically feasible and is an excellent option, given the less involved anastomotic procedure and better postoperative quality of life compared with these features in end-to-side anastomosis using a circular stapler. Received: February 2, 2001 / Accepted: April 24, 2001     

贲门癌切除术中食管-胃黏膜套叠式吻合方法探讨

目的：探讨贲门癌切除后行消化道重建术式的改进,预防吻合口瘘及吻合口狭窄的措施。方法：对2000年1月-2006年12月收治的289例贲门癌患者采用食管全层与胃黏膜套叠式吻合术患者临床资料进行回顾性分析。结果：术后出现吻合口瘘3例（1．0％）,肺部感染7例（2．4％）。根治性切除276例,姑息性切除13例。胃切缘和食管切缘均无癌细胞残留。随访6个月-2年出现反流性食管炎12例（4．2％）,吻合口狭窄2例（0．7％）,吻合口处肿瘤复发1例（0．3％）,死亡4例（1．4％）。吻合口瘘、吻合口狭窄和反流性食管炎三大并发症发生率为5．9％（17／289）。结论：贲门癌切除后行食管-胃黏膜套叠式吻合局部血运佳,解剖层次清楚,对位良好,吻合方法简单,安全,可靠,胃粘膜下层覆盖食管肌层,形成的活瓣质地柔软,结合紧密,起到人工瓣膜的作用,有效预防局部感染,具有一定的抗反流作用,有利于减少吻合口瘘和吻合口狭窄的发生,提高患者生活质量。     

Early phase II study of robot-assisted distal gastrectomy with nodal dissection for clinical stage IA gastric cancer

Background

Robot-assisted distal gastrectomy (RADG) is increasingly performed in Japan and Korea and is thought to have many advantages over laparoscopic gastrectomy. However, a prospective study investigating the safety of RADG has never been reported. The present study evaluated the safety of RADG with nodal dissection for clinical stage IA gastric cancer.

Methods

This single-center, prospective phase II study included patients with clinical stage IA gastric cancer located within the lower two-thirds of the stomach. The primary endpoint was the incidence of postoperative intraabdominal infectious complications including anastomotic leakage, pancreas-related infection, and intraabdominal abscess. The secondary endpoints included all in-hospital adverse events, RADG completion rate, and survival outcome.

Results

From May 2012 to November 2012, 18 eligible patients were enrolled for this study. The incidence of intraabdominal infectious complication was 0 % (90 % CI, 0–12.0 %). The overall incidence of in-hospital adverse events was 22.2 % (90 % CI, 8.0–43.9 %). No patient required conversion to laparoscopic or open gastrectomy; thus, the RADG completion rate was 100 %.

Conclusions

This early phase II study suggested that RADG might be a safe and feasible procedure for stage IA gastric cancer, providing experienced surgeons perform the surgery. This conclusion should be clarified in subsequent late phase II studies with a larger sample size.     

Long-term survival after perforation of advanced gastric cancer: Case report and review of the literature

Although the standard operation for early cancer of gastric cardia is proximal gastrectomy followed by jejunal interposition, we recently reported a simple and useful technique for proximal gastrectomy with gastric tube reconstruction. The operative procedures included resection of the proximal two-thirds of the stomach, followed by anastomosis between the esophagus and gastric tube, using a circular stapler (Proximate ILS 25; Ethicon, Cincinnati, OH, USA). The gastric tube was about 20 cm long and 4 cm wide. The patient a 76-year-old man had no reflux symptoms such as heartburn, retrosternal pain, and regurgitation. Endoscopy showed no evidence of reflux esophagitis, including mucosal redness, erosion, and ulceration. Ambulatory 24-h pH monitoring indicated that the pH of the lower esophagus was between 6 and 8 when the patient was upright and between 5 and 7 when he was in the supine position. There were nine reflux episodes during the day, and no reflux episode while he was asleep. The duration of each reflux episode was less than 1 min, and the total reflux time was 1 min in the 12-h day (0.1%). These data indicate that reconstruction by gastric tube may prevent esophageal reflux in patients who have undergone proximal gastrectomy for early cancer of the gastric cardia. Received for publication on Jan. 14, 1998; accepted on Apr. 1, 1998     

Gastric tube reconstruction prevented esophageal reflux after proximal gastrectomy

Although the standard operation for early cancer of gastric cardia is proximal gastrectomy followed by jejunal interposition, we recently reported a simple and useful technique for proximal gastrectomy with gastric tube reconstruction. The operative procedures included resection of the proximal two-thirds of the stomach, followed by anastomosis between the esophagus and gastric tube, using a circular stapler (Proximate ILS 25; Ethicon, Cincinnati, OH, USA). The gastric tube was about 20 cm long and 4 cm wide. The patient a 76-year-old man had no reflux symptoms such as heartburn, retrosternal pain, and regurgitation. Endoscopy showed no evidence of reflux esophagitis, including mucosal redness, erosion, and ulceration. Ambulatory 24-h pH monitoring indicated that the pH of the lower esophagus was between 6 and 8 when the patient was upright and between 5 and 7 when he was in the supine position. There were nine reflux episodes during the day, and no reflux episode while he was asleep. The duration of each reflux episode was less than 1 min, and the total reflux time was 1 min in the 12-h day (0.1%). These data indicate that reconstruction by gastric tube may prevent esophageal reflux in patients who have undergone proximal gastrectomy for early cancer of the gastric cardia. Received for publication on Apr. 27, 1998; accepted on Aug. 19, 1998     

Laparoscopic partial gastrectomy for gastric submucosal tumor-indications and limitations of single-incision laparoscopic surgery

Because gastric submucosal tumors can be treated by local resection without lymph-node dissection, laparoscopic local resection is widely used to manage relatively small tumors less than 5 cm in diameter. On the other hand, single-incision laparoscopic surgery (SILS) to perform laparoscopic cholecystectomy was feasible. SILS requires only a single incision in the umbilical region; it has better cosmetic outcomes than conventional laparoscopic surgery. The relative difficulty and ease of local gastric resection depends to a large part on tumor location and morphologic characteristics. Extraluminal submucosal tumor of the stomach can be locally resected by SILS using an automated suturing device regardless of tumor location. Intraluminal tumor located in the greater curvature of the gastric body can be treated by SILS, whereas intraluminal lesions located in the lesser curvature and near the gastric cardia or pylorus are difficult to manage by SILS. Laparoscopic and endoscopic cooperative surgery (LECS) is useful for resecting an appropriate amount of tissue at any site. In patients with lesions located near the gastric cardia or pylorus, closure with an automatic suture device may be difficult. Such patients should be switched to reduced-port surgery with a coaxial port, and hand-sewn closure is useful.     

近端胃切除术后双通道吻合的研究进展

近年来,胃癌的总体发病率和死亡率在全世界都呈现上升趋势,其中近端胃癌（包括胃上部癌和食管胃结合部癌）发病率显著升高,严重威胁人类健康。全胃切除术和近端胃切除术是目前治疗近端胃癌的主要手术方式。近端胃切除术可缩小手术范围,且能最大程度保留胃的正常功能而逐渐受到关注,但该术式术后易发生反流性食管炎,影响患者生活质量。对于近端胃切除术后消化道重建方式的选择,如何保证患者术后的生活质量,降低术后胃食管反流症状的发生率是焦点。双通道消化道重建方式作为一种具有较好的抗返流效果的术式,受到国内外众多专家学者的认可。本文将回顾近年来关于近端胃切除术后双通道消化道重建术式的研究,并对未来的发展加以展望。     

全胃切除缺8字空肠袢代胃术（附16例临床分析）

目的:分析全胃切除缺8字空肠袢代胃术的临床疗效。方法:对本院2002年5月至2005年12月间实施的16例全胃切除手术后行缺8字吻合重建消化道的病例作回顾性总结。结果:本组经腹行全胃切除术16例,全部采用缺8字吻合重建消化道,手术后均恢复良好,无手术死亡,肺部并发症1例,无吻合口瘘及返流性食管炎发生。结论:缺8字吻合操作方便,代胃的空间大,也有利于防止返流性食管炎,不失为一种较为理想的全胃切除术后消化道重建术式。     

食管胃颈部单层吻合术治疗食管癌方法探讨

目的探讨食管胃颈部单层吻合术治疗食管癌的方法及疗效。方法回顾分析612例食管癌患者采用左侧开胸胃经食管床、主动脉弓后至颈部行食管胃单层吻合的临床资料。结果根治性切除599例,姑息性切除13例,切除率100%;术后出现颈部吻合口瘘12例,肺不张3例,肺部感染8例,返流性食管炎10例,乳糜胸1例,并发症的发生率为5.7%(35/612),无吻合口狭窄及喉返神经损伤发生。结论颈部单层吻合愈合好,对心肺功能影响小,吻合口瘘及狭窄发生率较低,有利于患者恢复和提高术后生活质量。     

Near-total gastrectomy

Total gastrectomy has more frequent and serious postoperative complications than subtotal gastrectomy. An esophago-gastric stoma with a side-to-side anastomosis permits a near-total gastrectomy to be undertaken with virtually the same results as a total gastrectomy. This procedure is used for early gastric cancers that have widely spreading, single or multiple lesions, or lesions near the esophago-gastric junction, and for the cure or palliative resection of selected patients with advanced gastric cancer.     

Intraabdominal Roux-en-Y reconstruction with a novel stapling technique after laparoscopic distal gastrectomy

Laparoscopic gastrectomy is widely used as minimally invasive surgery for gastric carcinoma. Billroth I or Roux-en-Y reconstruction is commonly performed after laparoscopic distal gastrectomy (LDG). Roux-en-Y reconstruction after LDG is one of the best methods for reconstruction of the alimentary tract when Billroth I reconstruction is difficult. There are few reports of intracorporeal Roux-en-Y reconstruction after LDG because of the technical difficulties of such a procedure. In particular, in the case of a very small gastric remnant, gastrojejunostomy using endoscopic linear staplers becomes more complicated. We developed a new technique for intracorporeal Roux-en-Y reconstruction: a modified stapling technique to allow the gastrojejunostomy to be made on the stomach transecting line that is applicable even when the residual stomach is very small. Roux-en-Y reconstruction with our modified technique was performed in six patients. There was no intraoperative complication or conversion to minilaparotomy or conventional celiotomy in any patient. Oral intake was easy and adequate after surgery. The present Roux-en-Y reconstruction procedure is feasible. Herein we describe an intraabdominal Roux-en-Y reconstruction with a modified stapling technique after LDG.